As social media becomes a dominant force in students’ lives, its dual impact on high school sports is undeniable. While some platforms offer many positive benefits and opportunities for fan attendance and school spirit, they also pose significant challenges to these young athletes’ well-being. This raises an important question: Is the boost in exposure for these sports worth the cost to student athletes’ mental and emotional health?
The positive aspects are clear and obvious. Social media is an incredibly effective advertising tool, allowing teams to promote games, share highlights and build excitement towards the given sport.
Along with promoting and sharing photos and videos via apps like TikTok, social media allows the school community to feel closer, fostering shared identity and school spirit. Students can engage with comments and reports that build anticipation and get students pumped before big games. However, these positives can also create pressure for athletes to constantly perform for an online audience rather than focusing on skill and discipline.
These social media platforms build a sense of connection within the high school community that other traditional media like posters and the radio cannot replicate. Real-time updates and live streaming allow families who cannot attend in person to cheer for their athletes. Although this may boost enthusiasm, it can quickly turn into comparisons and increase expectations.
However, these benefits are easily outweighed by negative impacts. For an athlete, rest and recovery are crucial to performance. Yet, the addictive nature of social media can often interfere with healthy sleep and recovery schedules. Late-night scrolling, waiting for updates and checking comments can leave athletes exhausted and unfocused the next day.
Along with struggles with rest and recovery, social media can deteriorate one’s mental health, creating false accusations about an athlete or drama. Creators of different sports accounts across high school sports typically spread false information, creating a toxic environment. This hostile atmosphere diminishes the principle of good sportsmanship that high school environments and athletes are meant to exemplify.
On top of all that pressure, social media often becomes a place where athletes are compared, judged and ranked based on highlight reels. This constant comparison can lead to self-doubt and anxiety. As these videos spread rapidly, many student-athletes begin to worry more about their online reputation than about improving their actual skills
Even more concerning, student-athletes may face cyberbullying from rival schools. For example,
During the 2024 spring season, the girls lacrosse team posted a gameday graphic to social media leading up to their matchup against rival Whitman Vikings. The Vikings made comments on the Cats’ Instagram post, diminishing and cyberbullying the players before the game. Both coaches and athletic directors quickly reacted, taking down all posts regarding the game.
The role of social media in high school sports is definitely complicated. On the positive side, these platforms boost attendance and school spirit. However, the negative effects far outweigh the benefits. Social media damages athletes’ mental health, increases comparison and anxiety, and encourages toxic behavior from opposing rival schools. Because of this, social media should not play a significant role in high school sports. These sports must prioritize sportsmanship and development over online attention from social media.
